CHENNAI: The Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi on Monday suspended its deputy general secretary Aadhav Arjuna from the party for six months. The decision was announced by party president Thol Thirumavalavan in a statement.
The action comes after widespread criticism, even from within the party, that Arjuna was acting against the interests of the party and especially that of the DMK-led alliance in Tamil Nadu, in which VCK is a key partner.
In his statement, Thirumavalavan said that the decision has been taken after a discussion with leading members of the party on Saturday.
TNIE reported on Sunday that the discontent towards Arjuna among the party cadres and functionaries was palpable at an event organised by the party on Saturday.
The statement said that Arjuna continuously acting against the party’s interests in spite of the leadership’s advice may at a superficial level look as if he is acting for the welfare of the party and to strengthen its power. However, his actions have attracted strong criticisms in the public arena in a manner that is questioning the reputation and credibility of the party and its leadership.
Moreover, his actions negatively impacted the party and created an environment where his actions may become a wrong precedent that may damage the discipline among the party functionaries, the statement added.
Keeping the party’s interests in mind, a three-member committee, involving the president and general secretaries, decided to take disciplinary action against Arjuna. Consequently, he has been suspended for six months, the statement said.
Arjuna came to focus after he began openly speaking in favour of a coalition government in the State and criticising DMK for its alleged governance failure, dynastic politics and its failure to acknowledge that it cannot win on its own without the support of coalition parties, especially the VCK.
The final nail in the coffin that forced VCK to take action against Arjuna was his remarks at the launch of a book on Ambedkar on Friday, jointly organised by his organisation Voice of Commons and Vikatan Publications, in which Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam president Vijay was the chief guest.
Both Arjuna and Vijay were harshly critical of the DMK and alleged that it was the coalition pressure that prevented Thirumavalavan from attending the event.